


Life & Love

by trufield



Series: Harry S. Truman: One Man Animal Rescue [31]
Category: Twin Peaks
Genre: M/M, alberts fears can be quietened, also a surprise kink for you all, but he always strives to make albert happy, chemo harry, especially on his birthday, handjob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 10:12:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13479294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trufield/pseuds/trufield
Summary: Albert never attributed much importance to his birthday but Harry always did. Today Albert reaches a more significant number.





	Life & Love

**Author's Note:**

> [13 September 2016]

Albert's cell phone rang. He knew it was Harry, he had a distinct ringtone for him so he could get updates immediately or just to speak to him. His work would be put on hold for anything Harry might wish to say now. Dread always knotted his stomach at the sound though - fearing the worst. He answered the call. 

“Happy birthday!” 

Harry sounded cheerful, as much as he could muster but the tiredness in his voice was unavoidable. Albert smiled. 

“Thanks. How are you feeling?”

“The usual. Don't worry I've eaten something. Albert… why didn't you wake me before you left?” He was hurt and Albert knew it would have upset him when he didn't disturb him that morning. 

“You need to rest Harry. That's more important. I didn't ignore you, I did kiss your forehead.”

“I'd have liked to wish you happy birthday right away…”

“I know. But you've done so now and you can tell me in person when I get home.”

“Do you know when you'll be back?” It was a question Harry rarely asked, knowing Albert couldn't often give exact times. Albert looked at his watch, it was already well into the afternoon. 

“Hopefully only a few more hours.”

“I'll go back to bed if you promise to wake me up when you get home.”

“Alright,” Albert sighed. 

\-----

Albert didn't need to wake him, Harry was there to greet him when he arrived home. 

“Happy birthday!” Harry said, his dumb grin now visible but something faded about it, diluted by exhaustion. He hugged Albert tight (not as tight as he used to) and murmured in his ear: “I promise I slept.”

“Good.”

Albert moved back to look at him. Harry still looked so tired. Pale with dark rings under his eyes. Albert kissed his forehead. 

“I'll order pizza, if you like, so you don't have to do anything. What _do_ you want to do?” Harry asked as he pulled him along into the living room. 

“That sounds good to me.”

Harry looked at him, unimpressed. 

“I want to do something for you. It's a special one this year.”

“Why should hitting a round number make it any more special than usual? I suppose this one does make me officially _old_.”

“And isn't that what you always wanted?” Harry smiled. “To not have people mention you being the youngest?”

“I've not been the youngest in a long time.”

“What do you want to do?” Harry reiterated. Albert didn't say anything and Harry looked concerned. “Albert?”

“... The only thing I wanted was for you to be here,” Albert said quietly, gaze fixed on the third button of Harry's shirt. 

“Nothing could make me miss your 60th,” Harry murmured as he wrapped his arms around him again. “Nothing.”

Albert was willing to bet that Harry had organised with his doctor in the very beginning that he wanted a rest day to fall on September 13th. Albert tensed his jaw. He wouldn't cry. Not in front of Harry. Not now. He had enough to deal with. 

He had cried. At work. Alone. In the morgue. The first time he had to leave Harry in hospital and he buried himself in work. Then he uncovered the body he was to autopsy and froze. He was shaking and he couldn't stop staring. Curly hair. Not remotely the same. Too dark. Too short. But when Albert closed his eyes to steady his breathing all he saw was Harry. 

He'd been in this job virtually his entire adult life. He had never been afraid of death. Now he was terrified. He covered the corpse again but it didn't matter - the image was burned into his brain. He couldn't breathe. He sank to the floor and broke into messy sobs. It was supposed to be simple. Done within the hour. It took him all damn day to finish the report. 

Harry was still here. That's all he focused on. They lived day by day now, no plans were made for the future. Not for next month, next week or tomorrow. Just taking each day as it came. Harry was so tired. It didn't matter, they spent most of their time wrapped around each other, listening to the life and love that bound them. Not letting go. Then Harry would drift to sleep again. He didn't mind so much if Albert was with him.

They'd been together for over 25 years. Harry knew him completely. He held him close so Albert didn't have to look at him and didn't speak so nothing could set him off. Harry respected he wanted to keep it together and would not force the issue, especially not today when he wanted him to have no troubles at all. Harry kissed his temple. When Albert felt in control he moved back and Harry kissed him again. 

“How about I make that call and then I’ll help you relax while we wait.”

“Sure,” Albert said, still slightly afraid to say anything more.

“Go sit on the bed then,” Harry smiled.

Albert did as instructed and it wasn't long before Harry joined him, climbing on the bed to kiss him. Albert held his shoulders to avoid touching his head too much as Harry unthreaded his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. 

“Lie on your front.”

Albert did that too, without a word, and Harry started to massage the tension from him. Albert sighed under the attention. Harry paused and Albert took the opportunity to roll over. 

“I'm not finished yet. I was just resting my hands.”

“I know. Come here,” Albert murmured, sitting up. 

Harry moved up close and held Albert's head against his chest. He sighed again, listening to Harry's heart. Still strong. Still fighting. 

\-----

They ate on the couch, Harry already in his sleepwear, and watched old episodes of _Star Trek_. Albert could tell Harry forced himself to eat a decent amount. When he had managed all he could he put his feet up on the couch and pressed against Albert's side. Albert put an arm around him. 

Harry tidied away when they finished eating and remained standing behind the couch as the credits appeared. Albert turned to him. 

“I might have something. Something to do,” Harry said.

“Oh yeah?” Albert switched the TV off. 

“Yeah. C’mon.”

Albert followed him to the bedroom and Harry made him sit on the bed. 

“Close your eyes.”

Albert did as he was told and felt Harry sit behind him. Something was pushed against his torso. Harry's hands smoothed over it, gently pressing it against him, before moving around to his sides. 

“Harry… you don't-”

Harry pulled the corset tight. Not uncomfortably so and not as much as Albert might like him to. Albert still gasped anyway. 

“I know I don't have to. I want to. There isn't much I can do at the moment. But I can do this. And I like it too. You know that.”

“Hm.”

“So… tighter?”

“ _Yes_.”

Harry braced a foot against his back to tighten it further and Albert groaned. Harry fiddled around with tying it then shifted closer to sit with his chest to Albert's back, resting his chin on Albert's shoulder, and stroked the front of the corset. 

Albert wouldn't have believed, all those years ago, that Harry moving in with him could bring them so much closer. He wouldn't have thought it possible to share an even deeper bond after being in a relationship for seven years. They had more time, so much more, but that didn't stop it being precious. They'd shared a lifetime together now and not a second of it had been wasted. 

Harry had always been willing to try new things where the bedroom was concerned - a testament to how much he enjoyed it and the trust they'd always shared. More time meant more room for experimentation and as a result Albert had new experiences too. Wearing a corset had been one of those revelations. He had always liked Harry to hold him tight and here was something that could give him the tightest hold possible (while still being safe) and Harry's hands were free to do as he wished. It had been Harry's idea and Albert insisted he didn't much care how it looked (although he did, obviously he had colour preferences at the very least) but Harry cared. A lot. 

“You won't have to think about anything,” Harry murmured in his ear. 

“I'm not…” Albert breathed. It was true, his mind had gone entirely blank when Harry pulled the ribbon. 

Harry kissed his cheek and Albert moved his hand up to stroke his hair. It wasn't there anymore. He ran his fingers against his head anyway. 

“I'm gonna lie you down, okay?”

“Hm…”

Harry moved back and gently pushed him down before moving to sit at his side. 

“I think I did a pretty good job on the bow. It looks good.”

“Show me,” Albert said sitting up again. 

Harry dug around in Albert's jacket to retrieve his phone (he had probably forgotten where he'd put his own) and passed it to Albert who set up the camera for him. Harry passed it back once the picture was taken. 

“That's the neatest you've ever done anything in your life.”

“I'm pretty proud of it,” Harry said with a touch of smugness in his voice. 

Albert laid back down and Harry started to kiss him. Across his face, down his neck, over his clavicle, hands continuing to stroke the corset. Albert unbuckled his belt and Harry paused to remove the rest of his clothes for him. 

“Mm, you look real good,” Harry murmured, moving back to kiss him. 

One thing about Harry's lack of libido was that he could do everything _slowly_. Endless slow kisses for Albert to shift and sigh under. He was beginning to get a little too hot but he didn't want to stop. He gasped as he stroked up his cock. 

“Albert? Do you want me to take it off now?”

“Not… Not yet…”

“But…”

It wasn't safe to engage in any exertion while constricted in such a way. They both knew it - they'd always been safe. 

“It's okay… I'll tell you. Trust me.”

“I do,” Harry said with another kiss. “But I'll do it for you. A better way.”

Harry lubricated his hand and replaced Albert's with it, still moving slowly, and returned to kissing him. Albert held onto him, shuddering and moaning. He started to feel lightheaded. He loved Harry so much. Even the things that annoyed him. That he never ironed his own clothes, that he didn't put his laundry away, that he shoved so much food in his face. Albert loved all of it. He loved him so much. So much. 

“Ah- Hah- Harry-”

Harry stopped to pull him up gently and reached behind him to give one end of the ribbon a sharp tug. Albert gasped in relief as Harry loosened it. Albert leaned against him, kissing his face. Not very good kisses, it was more like breathing on him, but Harry held him there until he recovered. Harry pushed him back so he could pull the corset off completely and removed his own shirt. Albert scrabbled for him, getting on his lap, pressing their chests together. 

“Hn- Harry…”

Harry looked into his eyes and kissed him. Albert hips jerked as Harry put an arm around him and then he continued where he left off, getting his other hand between them. Albert moaned into his ear. 

“Ah- ah- hn,” Albert squeezed his eyes shut. “Hah- Harry. I love you Harry. Harry I love you-”

“Oh Albert, I love you too. I love you so much.”

Albert keened and Harry started to increase the pace. Albert rocked against him and came with a hoarse cry. He wrapped around Harry, who smoothed a hand over his back. Harry leaned back to lie down, taking Albert with him. Albert sighed, he would happily fall asleep like this but they needed cleaning up and then he'd be able to get even more comfortable. 

He sat up with a grunt and kissed Harry before he moved. When he returned he wiped Harry clean and settled beside him again. He was about to get them under the covers but hesitated. 

“Do you want your shirt back?”

Harry shook his head. 

“All I want is you,” he said with a small smile. 

“Get under then,” Albert said softly. 

Albert joined him and Harry moved closer. Albert remained facing him, tracing his fingers over Harry's jaw. Harry closed his eyes. 

“I can't explain how much you mean to me…” Harry murmured. 

“I know the feeling.” Harry held his hand. “Thank you for today.” For every other day too. 

“You're welcome,” Harry said, nuzzling against him. “You can roll over. I've got you.”

Albert kissed him before he did so and Harry draped his arm over him, leaning forward to kiss his cheek before he settled down too. Albert pushed back against Harry's chest and closed his eyes. When he felt Harry's breathing deepen he pressed his fingers to his pulse point. He couldn't get to sleep any other way anymore. 


End file.
